Nature provides for us more than we realize. Although people often rely on over-the-counter chemical cleaners for cleaning jobs, those chemical cleaning products can affect your health. Instead of damaging your health, you can rely on natural cleaners.
It’s a common misconception that natural cleaners don’t get the job done. In fact, natural cleaners can be even more effective than their chemical counterparts. For centuries, Eastern cultures have relied on natural cleaners. Now, the Western world is starting to realize that natural is the way to go. Find out how chemical cleaning products can affect your health. Then, find out how you can avoid using them.
If you head to any grocery store, you’ll find shelves loaded chemical cleaning products. Some of them promise to do amazing things, while others are household names. Either way, you might want to rethink your purchase.
In today’s world, people often feel like they NEED to rely on chemical cleaning products. But they don’t. The adverse health effects make them a dangerous option.
HOW CHEMICAL CLEANING PRODUCTS CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH
There are several ways in which chemical cleaning products can impact you in a negative way. Here are a few of those ways:
LUNG DAMAGE
All of the chemicals in traditional cleaning products can do a number on your lungs. In one 20-year long study, researchers found that there was a link between using toxic cleaners and lung issues.
In that study, the frequency of cleaning affected the severity of the female participant’s lung troubles. Professional cleaners had such a significant amount of lung damage that it was equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes each day.
It’s likely that the cleaning chemicals affect your mucus membranes. Because your mucus membranes are essential to lung functions, their damage affects your respiratory system.
DESTRUCTION OF GOOD BACTERIA
There is a lot of bacteria around you. However, not all of the bacteria is bad. Some of the bacteria cause infections and other issues. But other bacteria is essential for your bodily functions.
Unfortunately, chemical cleaning products can’t tell the difference between good and bad bacteria. They kill off everything in your environment. This includes the probiotics that help your body work the way it should.
Still wondering how chemical cleaning products can affect your health? When you use chemical cleaners, the chemicals absorb into your skin. This upsets the balance of bacteria inside your body.
When people use products like triclosan and triclocarban, they show up in the bloodstream. They can also show up in your mucus and breast milk.
In addition to affecting you, using chemical cleaning products can affect your children. By using chemical cleaners, you allow chemicals to go into the soil, water, air, and animals.
HURTING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
There’s another way in which the destruction of bacteria can hurt you. Some researchers believe that people need to expose themselves to microbes to build their immune systems. By removing all of the microbes from the environment, people could be making themselves vulnerable. You might be more likely to become sick when you do encounter microbes.
This theory is known as the hygiene hypothesis. It is particularly relevant to children and babies. Because they are so young, their immune systems are still developing. Using chemical cleaners could stunt their immune development. They might be more likely to become sick or to become allergic to food items.
CREATING SUPERBUGS
Chemical cleaners do destroy bad bacteria. However, they also leave behind a few bacteria. It would be impossible for them to kill off every species of bacteria.
The remaining bacteria pose a danger to you. Instead of being typical bacteria, they are super bacteria. They are resistant to antibiotics and antimicrobials. And, unfortunately, they reproduce. Their offspring carry the same resistance. If you become sick at the hand of a super bacteria, you might have trouble fighting the infection.
CHEMICALS TO AVOID IN YOUR CLEANING PRODUCTS
There are many benefits to using natural cleaners. However, some natural cleaners are mislabeled. You need to be cautious about the cleaning products you choose to use.
If you want to choose safe products, you need to choose them with caution. You should read the labels and avoid any products that contain the following ingredients:
2-BUTOXYETHANOL
You can find this ingredient in most multi-purpose cleaners. Additionally, kitchen and window cleaners also use the ingredient. Unfortunately, the ingredient affects your red blood cells in a negative way.
AMMONIA
Many bathroom cleaners and glass cleaners contain ammonia. However, they can irritate your mucus membranes. They can affect your skin, lungs, and eyes.
CHLORINE BLEACH
Chlorine bleach is a strong antimicrobial agent. But it’s also an irritant for your respiratory system. When you mix bleach with ammonia, get an extremely toxic gas. If you want a safer option, you can use hydrogen peroxide.
FRAGRANCE
This term refers to a variety of ingredients. When a manufacturer places fragrance on the label, they can be talking about one of the thousands of chemicals. Often, those chemicals cause skin, kidney, and other issues.
HOMEMADE CLEANING PRODUCTS
Instead of risking your health with store-bought cleaners, you can go natural. For example, you can use liquid Castile soap. When you mix the soap with water, you get an effective cleaning agent. You can use it as shampoo, dishwashing soap, and hand soap.
If you want an effective bathroom, glass, or laundry cleaner, you can use Castile soap with other products. Baking soda, essential oils, and vinegar all work well with the soap.
Be sure to use a soap that is authentic. If you’d rather use a premade product, you should look for a product that is GRAS certifies. This ensures that uses natural ingredients and won’t destroy all of the good bacteria in your home.
By using natural cleaners, you can improve your health. It’s a simple way to live a better lifestyle.
